Life Stories

This lesson is designed to build your critical-thinking skills in English as you read, listen, and answer different types of comprehension and discussion questions.

Although these questions are related to classroom instruction, independent learners can reflect on the ideas and topic to prepare for the listening portion of the lesson.

Listen and read the story and answer the questions. 

Once upon a time, there were two college roommates, John and Dave, who always argued about doing the household chores.

John was worried about impressing his girlfriend, Ashley, who he thought might stop by their apartment unannounced.

He was worried that she would see the pile of dirty dishes in the sink and be turned off.

Dave, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about impressing anyone. He would leave his dirty clothes all over the living room – AND his dishes in the sink for days on end. This drove John crazy.

One day, John approached Dave and said, “We need to come up with a system for doing the household chores. I don’t want Ashley to see all these dirty dishes when she comes over.”

Dave replied, “Why do you care so much? Ashley likes you for who you are, not for your ability to clean dishes.”

John said, “I know, but I want to make a good impression. Can you at least help me out?”

Dave agreed to help, and they came up with a plan. John would do the dishes, and Dave would vacuum and tidy up the living room. They would each do their own cleaning in their own rooms.

A few days later, John brought Ashley over for dinner. John was thrilled that the apartment was going to be spotless, and he had nothing to worry about.

But then, disaster struck.

Dave had forgotten to do his laundry, and his dirty clothes were piled up all over the living room. John’s heart sank.

Ashley walked in and saw the dirty laundry. She looks surprised and said, “What’s going on here?”

John tried to explain, but Dave interrupted and said, “I’m sorry, Ashley. I forgot to do my laundry. I’m a slob, I know.”-

Ashley laughed and said, “It’s okay, Dave. We all have our flaws, and a little mess here and there makes us human.”

John breathed a sigh of relief, and Dave was relieved that Ashley didn’t seem to mind the mess.

From that day on, John and Dave worked together to keep the apartment clean, and Ashley continued to love John for who he was, a messy apartment and all.-

1.  What was John’s main concern about the household chores?
A. He wanted to impress his roommate.
B. He wanted to impress his girlfriend, Ashley.
C. He wanted to impress his professor.
D. He wanted to impress his parents.

2. What was Dave’s attitude towards doing household chores?
A. He didn’t care about it at all.
B. He enjoyed doing them.
C. He was afraid of doing them wrong.
D. He only did them when John asked him to.

3. What was the plan that John and Dave came up with?
A. John would do all the chores.
B. Dave would do all the chores.
C. John would do the dishes, and Dave would vacuum and tidy up.
D. They wouldn’t do any chores.

4. What did Ashley think of the dirty laundry in the living room?
A. She was angry about it.
B. She was disgusted with the mess.
C. She found it funny.
D. She thought it was John’s fault.

5. What did John and Dave do after Ashley’s visit?
A. They stopped doing the chores.
B. They only did the chores when they knew Ashley was coming over.
C. They worked together to keep the apartment clean.
D. They had a big argument about the dirty laundry.

1.  What was John’s main concern about the household chores?
Answer: B. He wanted to impress his girlfriend, Ashley.

Explanation: John was worried that if Ashley came over and saw the dirty dishes in the sink, she would be turned off. He wanted to make a good impression on her.

2. What was Dave’s attitude towards doing household chores?
Answer: A. He didn’t care about it at all.

Explanation: Dave was not concerned about doing household chores. He didn’t mind leaving his dirty clothes all over the living room and his dishes in the sink for days.

3. What was the plan that John and Dave came up with?
Answer: C. John would do the dishes, and Dave vacuum and tidy up the living room.

Explanation: John and Dave decided to split the household chores between them. John would take care of the dishes, and Dave would vacuum and tidy the living room. They would each do their own cleaning in their own rooms.

4. What did Ashley think of the dirty laundry in the living room?
Answer: C. She found it funny.

Explanation: When Mary saw the dirty laundry in the living room, she didn’t get angry or upset. She found it funny and didn’t mind the mess.

5. What did John and Dave do after Ashley’s visit?
Answer: C. They worked together to keep the apartment clean.

Explanation: John and Dave realized they needed to work together to keep the apartment clean. They continued to split the household chores between them and kept the apartment clean from that day on.

Easy (Recall and Comprehend):

1. Do you have to do any chores at home? What are they?
2. Why is it important to keep our living spaces clean and organized?
3. Can you name three common household chores?

Intermediate (Analyze and Interpret):

1. How do you divide household chores among family members or roommates? Is it fair? Why or why not?
2. In your opinion, what is the most challenging chore to do? Why?
3. How does the cleanliness or messiness of your environment affect your mood or productivity?

Advanced (Analyze and Interpret):

1. What are some cultural differences in attitudes towards household chores? How do these attitudes reflect broader cultural values?
2. Discuss the gender dynamics involved in household chores. Are there any stereotypes or biases associated with certain chores being assigned to specific genders?
3. How do you think advancements in technology and automation will impact household chores in the future? Will it make our lives easier or more complicated?

These post-listening activities add visual (seeing), auditory (listening), kinesthetic (moving), and tactile (touching) elements to engage students in meaningful ways based on their learning styles.

1. Discussion: Have a class discussion on the importance of cleanliness and organization in a living space. Encourage students to share personal experiences and the impact of a cluttered space on their mental health and well-being.
2. Debate: Divide the class into two groups and have them debate whether household chores should be divided equally among roommates or if they should be assigned based on individual strengths and weaknesses. Encourage students to use evidence and personal experiences to support their arguments.
3. Reflection: Have students write a personal reflection on their own attitudes towards household chores and how it affects their relationships with roommates or family members.
4. Role Play: Have students participate in a role play where they act out a household conflict over chores and practice conflict resolution strategies such as active listening, compromise, and problem-solving.
5. Survey: Survey the class on their attitudes towards household chores and cleanliness, and use the data to discuss and analyze trends and patterns.
6. Mind Mapping: Have students create a mind map of household chores and organize them based on categories such as frequency, difficulty level, and personal preference.
7. Critical Analysis: Assign students to read an article on the division of labor in household chores across different cultures or gender roles and have them critically analyze and discuss the arguments presented.

Here’s a possible classroom language game based on the story and topic:

Activity: Chore Scavenger Hunt

Objective: To engage students in an interactive and engaging game that reinforces vocabulary related to household chores and encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Materials:

• List of household chore clues (prepared in advance)
• Index cards or paper to write down the clues
• Optional: Prizes or rewards for the winning team

Instructions:

1. Preparation: a. Prepare a list of household chore clues that lead to specific locations or objects related to household chores. For example, “Where dirty dishes go to get clean” (answer: dishwasher) or “You’ll find me under the bed, sucking up dust” (answer: vacuum cleaner). b. Write each clue on a separate index card or piece of paper.

2. Gameplay: a. Divide the class into teams of 3-5 students. b. Provide each team with the first clue. c. Teams must work together to decipher the clue and find the corresponding location or object related to a household chore. d. Once a team finds the correct location or object, they must take a picture or bring back a small item from that spot as proof. e. Teams then return to the starting point to receive the next clue. f. The game continues with teams deciphering clues, locating chore-related items, and advancing to the next clue until they have completed the scavenger hunt. g. The team that completes the scavenger hunt first or collects the most items within a specified time limit wins the game.

3. Variation:

   • To add an additional challenge, you can include riddles or puzzles as clues that students must solve to figure out the corresponding household chore or item.

Benefits:

• Reinforces vocabulary related to household chores in an engaging and interactive way.
• Encourages teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.